Max Verstappen tells Mercedes how they could have made F1 ‘easier’ for Kimi Antonelli

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Red Bull driver Max Verstappen is “sure” that Andrea Kimi Antonelli can improve if Mercedes and “everyone” gives the Italian rookie time to find his feet in Formula 1.

The Bologna boy has returned to Monza this weekend for his first Italian Grand Prix as an F1 driver. Antonelli made his F1 weekend debut at Monza a year ago when Mercedes gave him a first free practice outing in George Russell’s car a day before announcing his seat for 2025.

But the 19-year-old has descended on Monza amid a low point in his rookie F1 season after only scoring points in two of his last nine Grands Prix. Points ought to have been on offer at Zandvoort last weekend, but Antonelli crashed into Charles Leclerc in the Dutch Grand Prix.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff wants Antonelli to be more aggressive and feels he showed that at Zandvoort. Yet the Italian was too optimistic when he dived into Turn 3 trying to get past Leclerc for P7 on the road, but understeered up the banking and into the Ferrari driver.

Max Verstappen thinks F1 would have been ‘easier’ for Andrea Kimi Antonelli if Mercedes had a better car

Antonelli drew a 10-second time penalty for causing a collision with Leclerc, on top of a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane, which dropped him from P6 to P16 in the Dutch GP. It even led Jacques Villeneuve to suggest that F1 might be “just too much” for Antonelli.

READ MORE: Know all about 2025 Mercedes F1 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli including stats

But Red Bull racer Verstappen believes Antonelli can still have a bright future in F1 if he gets the time to hone his trade. The four-time reigning drivers’ champion also believes Antonelli may have even had an “easier” start to his F1 career if Mercedes had given him a better car.

“Can he improve? Sure,” Verstappen said, via Motorsport.com. “I know how talented he is. I see it. He just needs a little patience. I think everyone needs a little patience because it’s not easy starting in a top-level team.

“Of course, they’re not even fighting for many wins, which – if you start with a great car – probably makes things a little easier. I think he’ll do well. He just needs a little more time.”

Mercedes’ rear suspension upgrade added to Kimi Antonelli’s difficult European run

Mercedes are third in the F1 constructors’ championship ahead of the Italian GP with only a 12-point deficit to Ferrari in second place. Red Bull even trail the Silver Arrows by 34 points, but they are almost fighting alone with Verstappen against teams with two frequent scorers.

READ MORE: All you need to know about Mercedes F1 Team from team principal to lineage

Verstappen has recorded 205 of Red Bull’s 214 points across the first 15 rounds of the 2025 season, with Yuki Tsunoda scoring just seven of his 10 this year since replacing Liam Lawson in March. Antonelli has scored 64 of Mercedes’ 248 points this term, on top of Russell’s 184.

Antonelli also enjoyed a record-breaking start to his Formula 1 career before the start of the European leg. After becoming the third-youngest driver to start a Grand Prix, Antonelli broke Verstappen’s record as F1’s youngest Grand Prix leader in Japan and even set the fastest lap.

The final flyaway before the European rounds even saw Antonelli become the youngest-ever F1 polesitter in the Miami Sprint. But he then struggled as the season arrived in Europe, and he was not helped by Mercedes’ rear suspension upgrade they have since thrown in the bin.

Since Mercedes dropped the upgrade, Antonelli returned to the points with P10 in Hungary and would have scored points in the Netherlands without his penalties. So, Wolff will hope to see Antonelli shake off his Dutch GP woes and show the potential that Verstappen also sees.